MYAirline nears debut

4th Aug 2022 MYAirline, a Malaysian start-up airline, is getting closer to launching. The airline has until the end of the year to get its Air Operator's Certificate, but has not yet announced an official debut date.

MYAirline will be an ultra-low-cost airline and has received three Airbus A320s so far. The proving flights are being undertaken by 9M-DAC (5661), while 9M-DAG (4088) and 9M-DAH are also part of the fleet (4126).

AirAsia's direct rival, the airline will operate out of Kuala Lumpur but has not yet specified which destinations it will service.

According to the company's recruiting advertisements, MYAirline (MYM, Kuala Lumpur Int'l) is considering Airbus A320s for its fleet needs, confirming previous claims.

Stuart Cross, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of MYAirline, said that the Malaysian startup is seeking experienced A320 captains and co-pilots for its base at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Cross was not immediately accessible for comment.

CGS-CIMB Research, an Asian financial services firm, reported that MYAirline has inked contracts to lease two A320s.

Through its website, the corporation also recruits cabin staff and other critical workers.

According to reports, MYAirline was just granted a conditional Air Service License (ASL) by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM). The licence has been provisionally granted for one year, from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022.

According to the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), MYAirline was established on January 11, 2021, with MYR2 million in paid-up capital (USD478,000). Zillion Wealth Bhd (88%), Trillion Cove Holdings Bhd (10%), and Rayner Teo Kheng Hock (2%) are the stockholders.

According to the New Straits Times, the arrival of MYAirline and fellow newcomer SKS Airways (KI, Johor Bahru) has been met with varied reactions. While some experts think COVID-19 would revitalise local aviation, others feel the industry is already saturated due to weak travel demand.

Low-cost AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur Int'l), which has lost $1.47 billion over the last two fiscal years, may face competition from the new companies.

According to ch-aviation schedules, the Malaysian domestic market is already taken up by six airlines, including AirAsia, Berjaya Air, Firefly, Malaysia Airlines and its subsidiary MASwings, and Malindo Air.

The airline, which was previously created and registered as Z9 Elite Sdn Bhd, was granted a one-year licence to provide scheduled passenger and cargo services comparable to those of AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, and Firefly. This licence is valid until December 31, 2022, and may be renewed by the airline by submitting a written application to Mavcom 90 days prior to expiration. Despite reports that the airline plans to operate on a shoestring budget model out of KLIA with two confirmed Airbus A320s, little else is known about when exactly the first flights will occur, or even what destinations the airline will serve.

In response to the various comments on its Facebook posts, the airline only stated that they would announce their launch date soon without providing any specifics and that they were hiring cabin crew staff with at least 24 months of experience. But since MYAirline wants to compete with the popular low-cost airline AirAsia, it is likely that the airline will at least fly to Malaysia's major airports and a few popular destinations in Southeast Asia.

It is also unknown how the airline intends to expand or what its corporate goals are, but with the travel economy picking up speed again after two sluggish years during the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems like a good time for a new competitor to enter the market and compete with Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia, both of which are currently struggling.

MYAirline wants to be the best option for people who want to travel again: a new, cheaper way to fly.

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